Plus, each is interesting enough to enhance your surroundings more than an ordinary carpet of grass.
Several plants in this list happily grow in full or partial shade.
Low-growing, ground-hugging perennial plants are the best low-maintenance ground coverings.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
Most perennial ground coverings fall into these categories.
When grown as a ground cover, it is an easy-care plant that requires little maintenance.
If you prefer a similar but less aggressive variety, considerC.
Kaley McKean
Care requirements for creeping phlox are few.
Water it during dry spells and give it a haircut at the end of its blossoming period.
This one is a horticultural hybrid developed by crossingNepata racemosawithN.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
nepetella.It is, therefore, a sterile plant that will not come true from seeds.
The nepeta genus includes roughly 250 species.
The ‘Six Hills Giant’ cultivar is a good choice for covering large areas.
Chris Burrows/Getty Images
Growing as high as 36 inches, it blooms all summer long with purple flowers.
The leaves are fragrant, and deep pink flowers bloom from June through July.
It should be pinched back frequently to keep the plants bushy and “shrubby.”
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Avariety of cultivarsare available, includingJuniperus horizontalis’Blue Rug.'
Poke holes in the fabric and plant the junipers, then cover the fabric with mulch.
Rock Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis)
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Rock cotoneaster is a deciduous shrub.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
While many shrubs give you flowers, the prettiest thing aboutCotoneaster horizontalisis its colorful, red berries.
This shrub also offers some fall-foliage value.
This is a large plant with a horizontal growth habit (thus its species name).
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It grows best where it has plenty of space to spread out.
Wherever its branches make contact with the soil, it will put down roots, creating new plants.
Rock cotoneaster is considered a full-sun shrub but benefits from some afternoon shade.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
When planted in full sun it usually needs extra watering, at least until the plant is well established.
Its native habitat is wooded areas, so it is perfect for a shadywoodland garden.
It has excellent resistance to damage by deer and rabbits.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
There may be restrictions on planting it in these areas.
This aromatic herb can be aninvasive plantwhen grown in moist soil, where it sometimes spreads out of control.
It can even thrive in the acidic conditions under large pine trees.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
Sweet woodruff foliage can be dried and used in wreaths, potpourri, and other craft creations.
It is evergreen, but some of the leaves may turn brown during winter.
Liverleaf’s spring floral display makes this small perennial special.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
It is perfect for a small space, like a little gardenalong a north-facing wall.
It spreads by reseeding, but it never will spread enough to become a problem.
It spreads via rhizomes, a trait that can be a double-edged sword.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
The success of many invasive plants is due to this means of spreading.
The only maintenance you’ll need to do is remove tattered leaves damaged from a bad winter.
Note that Lenten rose is toxic to animals.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It gets its name because light reflects off its hairy growths and sparkles on the landscape.
Ice plant is a fast and easy-growing ground covering, but pick the right species for your climate.
SelectDelosperma floribundum’Starburst', a mat-forming cultivar with pink flowers and white centers for zones 6 to 8.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Ice plants need plenty of sun to thrive.
This perennial creeper is a great ground cover that will quickly carpet your landscape with pretty and small flowers.
It’s also used for ground cover to stop erosion because its tough roots hold soil in place.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
As lovely a ground cover as it seems, it’s also considered invasive and is toxic to pets.
However, keep it away from turf grass to avoid damage.
It’s also toxic to humans and pets.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
Plant in the late spring.
Avoid planting Chinese lantern in garden beds and near turf grass.
Hosta (Hosta spp.)
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Planted along sloped pieces of land, it can neaten up the area while providing ground covering.
Hostas are definitely not deer-resistant but they are toxic to other animals.
But they are not grasses, and are instead herbaceous floweringperennial plantsin the asparagus family.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
They’re also popular ground covers used to stop soil erosion.
Plant liriope any time for quick growth and spreading.
However, creeping ground coverings tend to spread the fastest.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
It also doesn’t die back in the winter.
Instead, it keeps its leathery dark green leaves in nearly the same condition year round.
Another bonus is that it is common and considered one of the cheapest ground covering plants.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
This is a deer- and rabbit-resistant ground cover that is ideal for large swaths of landscape.
Pachysandra are aggressive and fast-spreading coverings that grow underground with runners.
Though this is considered a flowering ground cover, it’s tiny white flowers are quite insignificant.
The Spruce / K. Dave
It can climb walls and grow across landscapes as unstoppable ground cover.
Plant ivy in the spring and you won’t need to maintain it at all.
It’s low-maintenance because this drought-tolerant perennial grows beautifully in a xeriscape or rock garden.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Plant this deer- and rabbit-resistant herb in the spring and its fuzzy leaves will cover large areas by autumn.
The only issue to watch for is rotting leaves.
It’s often used as a ground cover or even a turf substitute.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
It has purple-gray and green foliage with yellow disc-like blooms.
While the plant can grow in full shade, it will not produce as many blooms.
Note that this plant is invasive in parts of California.
Forest and Kim Starr / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Creeping jenny is alow-growing perennial.
While it produces bright and small yellow flowers, blooms won’t last long.
The plant is grown for its foliage, which makes a terrific ground cover.
The Spruce / K. Dave
The leaves are small and shaped like tiny coins.
The plant is an aggressive spreader and can quickly take over a garden.
Therefore, it is considered invasive in some areas.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Epimedium plants are drought-resistant and grow best in dappled shade, such as under a tree.
They also handle cold winters very well.
It’s known for its heart-shaped, dark green leaves and blooms with bell-shaped flowers in late spring/early summer.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
This plant grows best in shade and is pest and disease free.
It will reach 6 inches tall and spread 8 to 12 inches wide.
European ginger is a pollinator plant that is native to Europe.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It can self-seed in the garden and is naturally deer-resistant.
It’s a great choice to cover ditches and slopes.
This plant’s coverage is very dense and it tolerates hot, dry conditions well.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Once established, creeping raspberry is both deer and drought-resistant.
The small berries are edible, though they won’t be abundant.
In most climates, it will be green year-round.
The Spruce / Grant Webster
Lilyturf blooms with blue or white flowers and is best planted in the spring and summer.
Lilyturf grows up to 24 inches wide and is not an aggressive spreader.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera)
Honeysuckle includes both shrubs and vining plants.
Leonora (Ellie) Enking/ Flickr / CC BY 2.0
It’s best planted in early spring once the danger of frost has passed.
Because too much moisture can cause fungal infections, this is a plant that does best in lower humidity.
It’s an easy-growing plant that may only require some pruning to prevent spreading.
Kirill Ignatyev / Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0
Snow-in-Summer is a deer-resistant plant, however it can be susceptible to fungal diseases from too much moisture.
High humidity can contribute to this; this is a plant that does better in drier conditions.
There are several ground covers that can keep weeds out.
Photos from Japan, Asia and others of the world / Getty Images
Generally, thicker and taller ground covers like Liriope will out-compete weeds.
Creeping thyme and ajuga are two very fast-growing ground covers.
Some of the more affordable ground covers to grow include thyme and white clover.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Periwinkle.ASPCA Animal Control Center.
NC State University Cooperative Extension.
Hedera helix.North Carolina State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
California Invasive Plant Council.
